Sound film apparatus



ay 1944 1.. R. STREETER SOUND FILM APPARATUS FiledOct. s; 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 .550 .E; SrQEErE/e' INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

15, 1944. .L. R. STREETER 2,349,122

SOUND FILM APPARATUS Fil'ed Oct. 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .550 .E'. $7 955 rem, INVENTO R.

ATTORNEY.

May 16, 94-40 RISTREETER 7 2,349,122

SOUND FILM APPARATUS Fuga Oct. 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sooecs reaz 2'2 AMPLlF/El? .550 .E. STEE'ETE'Q INVENTQR.

By W

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 16, 1944 UNITED. s ATss PATENT OFFICE" j The invention relates to soundfilm apparatus and more particularly to sound film having a plurality of sound tracks thereon, and to arrangements for recording sound on such film and for reproducing sound therefrom.

More particularly the invention relates to a sound film reproducer especially adapted for operation with coin controlled apparatus.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide multiple sound tracks on a film, wherein the film is a straight length of film,the length of each track being the length of the film, in other words all of the sound tracks terminate at one end of the film and hence the time of play of each sound track bears a definite relation to the length of the film, thereby restricting flexibility in the arrangement of the sound tracks on the film.

According to one feature of the invention, I provide a sound film having multiple sound track portions wherein the time of play need bear no definite relation to the lengthof the film, and wherein an economy of space results. This is accomplished by employing an endless loopfof film and by providing a plurality of parallel track por-' tions. thereon and connected by slant track portions into one continuous sound track, theeffective length of which is several times thelength of the loop. Except for a short space where the slant track portions occur, the various sound track portions are parallel to the edge ofthe film throughout thelength of the loop, and this gives an economy of space. -1.'- 1 According to another feature of the invention, I provide a drive and slit assemblyifor a multiple track sound translating.device,'namely for arecorder or reproducer for following the above mentioned track.

According to another feature of the invention, and this has particular advantage for coin control use, I provide means for automatically shifting the sound pickup from the end of the sound track which is adjacent one margin of thefilm, to the start of the sound trackadjacentthe other margin, so that the apparatus will always be in-condition to be operated by the coin-control, means also being provided for shifting the position of the sound pickup to follow the slanttrack portions and align the pickup'with' the next paralleltrack portion. Hence the endless film loopmay be provided with a plurality-of sound track portions each having-a length corresponding to the time of play determined by the coin control apparatus, while the length of each sound track portion-needfilm loop as it can beeither shorter or longerthan that loop, as the sound pickup is shiftedonto a parallel track portion when the end of the film loop is reached regardless of the lengthofplay determined bythe coin control. For a long play record,'if desired, a continuous track may be 'used throughout the film. However, for coin control working with say four minutes of playing time,

the sound recording would end in that'time and then-a brief silent'period would follow to allow the reproducing apparatus to get up to speed and to allow the exciter lamp and amplifier tubes to warm up after the next coin is dropped and before the start of the next sound record.

.For further details of the invention, reference may bemade to the drawings wherein Figs. 1 and 2 are top and bottom plan view, respectively, of

sound film apparatus according to the present invention.

"Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionallview, with a part or" .the base broken away, on line ll of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows. 1

:Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation of a light-slit drum employed in the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 illustrates the sound film of this invention' with the breaker switch therefor 'an'd is a sectional View on line 6-45 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is asectional View on line l? of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a schematical wiringdiagram for the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2. I 4

Referring in detail to the drawings, the endless film loop indicated at I, the horizontal rollers 2 and-the vertical rollers 3 therefor, together with the three driving sprockets 4, 5 and 6,'the tension roller 1, fixed roller 8, the motor 9 and its driving connection ill to the sprockets 4,5 and B, and-the sound pickup H comprising the exciter lamp l2, slit assembly I3 and light-sensitive cell I l,-'together with the slit shifter l5 are all mounted as a unit on a common base is which is a rectangular panel of insulating material or metal having suitable screws H or the like for securing it' inposition on a supporter-in a'cabinet; not shown. The endless film' loop I comprisesa plurality of circular coils I8 of the film; supported by a-circular array of spaced horizontal rollers 2, each mounted on a'stud l9 held by a nut- 2cm a block 2| secured to-the base I6 by sc rewsorthelike 22. The eircularco'il of film-ldembracesthe circular array of spaced vertical rollers 3 eac'lihaw' ing a stud 2 3 screw-threaded into or-otheifwi's'e securedtothebase l6 I 5 At a point insideo f the coins, as shown atthe left inside center of this coil, the film is led around a fixed roller 24, over sprocket 4, around the tension roller I which is mounted on one end of an arm 25, pivotally supported intermediate its ends at 26, and the opposite end of which is provided with a stop 21 and a compression spring 28. From the tension roller I, the film is led around the slit assembly I3, and around the fixed roller 8 which has a stud 29 secured to the base I6. The film is then led along side of the breaker switch 30,

around the sprocket 5, across the? coil I8 to an elevated guide roller 3|, and then to the sprocket 5 which feeds the film to the outside of the coil I8.

The sprockets 4, 5 and 6 are in alignment and mounted on fixed supports 32, 33 an d"34,respectively, secured to the top of the base I6. The procket 6 is mounted on and driven by them otor The lens assembly 66 is in the form of a lens tube 66 carried by a ring I23 surrounding the lamp I2. The lens tube 66' contains a suitable lens system for producing a line of light across the film and may for example, comprise two cylindrical lenses I24 with an intervening elongated slit I25, although a mechanical slit mounted in the outer end of lens tube 66' instead of an optical lit may be used. Lamp I2 has a socket I26 secured to plate 82 by screws [21. b

At a place which doesnot interfere with the series of light apertures 61, the drum 68 is provided with two apertures I9 so that when the drum 68 is removed, access may be had to two screws 80 which serve to hold the lens assembly 66 toa post BI arising from an irregular shaped plate 82 shown also in Fig. 2, the latter being held shaft in a counter-clockwisedirection, while the sprockets 4 and 5 are driven from gears ,36 and 31 in a clockwise direction. The gears "36 and 31 are mounted on a cross shaft .98 rotatably supported in bearings 59, 39 and 6.6 mounted on the bottom of base 16 asshown in Fig. 2. Shaft 38 is driven by a gear M on the drive shaft 35, meshing with a gear 42 on the shaft-.69. As shown in Fig. 3, the drive shaft 35 is mounted in abearing 43 carried in a triangular shaped plate 44 supported by three legs 45 from the underside of the base I6. Above the plate -44, the shaft 95 has a flywheel 46. The shaft 35 is connected by a suitable coupling 4I to a slow speed motor shaft 48 extending from the gear reduction 49 which forms a part of the motor 50. Motor 50 is supported below the bottom of base I6 by bolts 5L A plate 52 similar to plate 44 is spacedfrom the body of base I6 by legs 53, and serves to rotatably support shaft 54 driven from gear 36 and which drives the sprocket 4. Similarly a plate 55 mounted below the base [6 by legs 56 serves to rotatably support shaft 51 driven by gear '37, the shaft 5'. driving the sprocket5.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, inside of coil I8 and at one side of the film is arranged the light-sensitive cell I4 comprising-a vacuum tube 58 having a base 59 with screw threads 69 engaged in a threaded aperture 6| in the base l6. Over the cell 58 is arranged a cover 62' secured to base I6 by screws 63. The cover. 62 has an elongated light slit 64 extending across the full width of the film and in alignment therewith on the other sideof the film is the slit assembly 13 which com rises the following elements: The lamp I2 has a filament 65 which extends across the film parallel to the slot 64. The light from filament 65 by means of a suitable len assembly 66. produces a line of light extending the full width of the series of apertures 61 in the drum 69.. ,The drum is mounted on a concentric cylindrical drum carrier 69 and isremovably-secured in position thereon by a pin I6. The lamp I2 is arrange along the common axis of the cyhndrical drum 66 and drum carrier 69, and the same series of light apertures 6! in the drum 68 are also arranged in the drum carrier 69. The pin I0 is secured in the drum carrier 69, while the drum 6B isslidable onto and 01f from this pin, the drum 68 being heldon the shoulder formed by the circular I flange II by means of the flanged ring I2 which has threaded engagement with the inside of the top of the drum carrier 69 as indicated at I3. The ring I2 is pro: vided with a chimney I4 having cooling ribs I5, the heated air from lamp I2 passing inside of chimney 14, under the cap I6 which is held; on ring I2 by post I1, and out betweenithe posts I1 and under the flange I8 on the cap I6,

in spaced relation'to the bottom of base I6 by means of three posts 63. Thus the lamp I2 is held stationary with respect to base I9. By removing nut 8| on post 8| and by removing flanged ring I2, the lensassembly 6'6 and'post 8| may be removed through the top of the drum carrier 69, and thereafter the lens assembly 66 may beremoved from the post 8| if desired, by removing screws 89.

The drum carrier 69 is rotatably mou'ntedin a circular aperture 04 in the base I6 andissecured thereto by a flange above the base I6, and a screw-threaded collar 66 below the base I6; The collar 86 has a set screw 8I. Suitably'secured to the lower end of the drum carrier 69 as seen in Fig. 4 is a ratchet ring 88 and rotatably'mounted between the latter and the lock r'ing89tis a ring 99 having a spring-pressed pawl'9I.

The angular separation of adjacent notches'92 in the ratchet ring 88, with reference to the axis thereof, is the same as the angular separation of adjacent apertures 6! in the drum 68, with reference to the axis thereof. Hence by rotating'rthe drum carrier 69 an angular distance equal to the distance between two adjacent notches 92 serves to shift from one of the apertures BI'such' as '93, to the next aperture 94. The separation of the notches 61 along the axis of the drum corresponds to the separation of the sound track portions 95 across the film as shown in-Fig; 6.. :The base I6 'may have a lubrication hole 96. toadmit a lubricant to the bearing formed: by the hole:B4 inthebaseIG. L

The pawl 9I may be normally pulled tott'he left as shown in Fig. 2, by means 'ofthettension spring 91 secured at one end to pawl '9I and the other end to the base I6 as indicatedat .98; Pawl 9I is mounted in aspringbarrel 99 on the rin'gg96. The spring barrel 99 swings between two adjustable stops I09 and NH. Suitablymounted'on base I6 is a solenoid I02 having its arm-aturefiIMconnected by link I04 to an extension I95*of-';the ring 90. When solenoid I92 is energized it urges pawl 9I to the right until the spring barrel-99 strikes the stop IOI, namely the distance "between two adjacent notches 92. The ratchet ring :Bllis impositively held in its adjusted position by-means of a spring detent I06 mounted on base I6.-

Pawl Si is operated by notch I61 as follows: Referring to Fig. 8, assuming the coin controlI I9 has been operated to connect the power-source I26 to the line I2I, with a resistance I28 bridged acrossthis line, and with the circuit to solenoid I02 connected across a part I29 of resistance I23 to supply about twelve volts to solenoid I02 andwith contact H6 in shunt to resistance I29, it will be; seen that when roller I69-enters notch I01, the contact III! is opento thereby supply the desired low voltage to solenoid I02, whereby it operates to urge pawl 9| to the right as before described. When roller I09 rides on the edge II2 of film I, contacts IIO are closed, to put a shunt around solenoid I02 to render it inoperative, whereby spring 91 at this time keeps the pawl SI in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 8.

As shown in Fig. 6, the film loop I is provided with a notch I01 adapted to cooperate with a film switch I08 having a roller I09 which rides on the edge of the film I and enters notch I01 to operate the contacts IIO. Assuming the film I is moving to the right as shown in Fig. 6, the point I I I may be taken as the start of the sound track and from this point it proceeds parallel to and adjacent the edge II2 of the film I, until a point adjacent the notch I01 is reached, when the sound track has a slant portion II3 which carries it away from the edge II2 a sufiicient distance whereupon the sound track proceeds as indicated at I I4 with a sound track portion which extends substantially the full length of the loop I I I parallel to the edge I I2 until it again reaches a point adjacent notch I01 when the slant track portion II5 again carries the sound track farther away from the edge II2, the track proceeding as indicated at II6 parallel to the other sound track portions H2 and H4, and this track arrangement continuing until a desired Width of the film has been used up, the whole width if desired, the track ending as indicated at a point II'I adjacent the other margin H8 of the film I. As before stated, a continuous sound track may be employed from the start III to the end H1, or I may have a series of sound records along the track, each record in the series corresponding to the time of play determined by the coin control H9 in Fig. 8, with silent intervals between adjacent records to allow time for the apparatus to warm up and get up to speed.

The coin control II9 controls the connectionv of the power source I20 to theline I2I which supplies power to the motor 50, the solenoid I02, the lamp I2, the cell I4 and cell amplifier I22 over obvious circuits shown in Fig. 8. The circuit to the solenoid I02 is open until such times as it is closed by the film switch IIO. With power in the line I2I, the film switch IIO will operate each time the notch I01 at the end of the film loop I is reached, to rotate drum 60 and keep one of the apertures 93, 94 etc. in register with the sound track 95 as it progresses across the slit assembly I3.

The sound track 95 may be recorded by using a continuous film loop such as I, and by having a film notch such as I01 to laterally shift the recorder across the film each time the notch is reached. In fact, this recording may be accomplished by substituting a glow lamp for the steady light source I2, and hence the light apertures 93 and 94 will follow the track 05 as the slit assembly I3 is shifted in the same way for both recording and reproducing.

By way of illustration, the film I in Fig. 6 is shown as having four parallel track portions I I4 etc., and four corresponding circumferentially and axially spaced light apertures 93, 94 etc., on the drum 68. In order to make it possible to rotate the drum 68 through only a small angle when shifting from one aperture such as 93 to another such as 90., I provide a plurality of sets or series of four light apertures in drum 08, an adjacent series being indicated at 61. An important feature of the invention comprises with such an arrangement the positioning of the last aperture 51 in the series 61 at the same angular distance from the first aperture 03 in the next series, as all the apertures are in all series, with the result that when rotating the carrier 68 clockwise as seen in Fig. 5 from a position where the last aperture 61' in one series registers with the track, the first aperture 93 in the next series is brought into position at the start III of the sound track. The same feature may be used if only one series of apertures are employed. This has obvious advantages, particularly for coin control work, as the apparatus will operate automatically to shift the sound pickup II from the end II1 of the track to the start III of the track so that the apparatus will play and repeat all of the sound records on the loop I, with no further manual control required than simply dropping coins in the coin control II9.

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the following claim.

I claim:

A lens assembly comprising the combination of a support, a lamp socket secured to said support, a post arising from said support at one side of said socket, said post extending to a position adjacent the filament of the lamp for said socket, a ring coil with said socket and having a central opening to receive the lamp, means for securing said ring to said post at one side of the lamp, and a lens assembly carried by said ring at the other side of the lamp.

LEO R. STREETER. 

